The present invention relates to a novel unfoldable play system, such as a backpack or a purse-like bag, that is reversibly convertible, by unfolding, into a play surface, more specifically into a foldable play surface having removable attached play pieces that create a theme or story, such as for use by children for play and games.
Children have always enjoyed listening to storytelling. Parents traditionally would read from books or make up their own stories to tell children before children go to sleep at night. Apart from or in concert with storytelling, flannel boards have been used with two-dimensional cutouts of characters so that children can act out their own stories using such characters to be used as aids in telling stories to children. Children enjoy stories associated with well-known flannel board characters as visual accompaniment. They can use the figures and retell the story on their own.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,077, issued on Feb. 8, 1983 to Dora O. Balbuena, discusses a combined book, flannel board and hand puppet. This patent includes a flannel board having figures representing characters, objects, or scenes from the storybook story and the puppet is a likeness of one of the story characters. The hand puppet is adapted to be manipulated by a hand in the normal manner and the puppet includes a storage pocket therein to receive and store the storybook, flannel board and flannel board figures.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,673, issued on Dec. 15, 1987 to Richard A. Moore, describes a combination food carrier and amusement device. The device includes a first and second panel having a removable bag member and a book secured to the inner surfaces thereof. The first and second panels are provided with removable handle portions which enable the device to transport food items retained in a bag member. The bag and the handle portions are disposable so that the device remains as a unique amusement device and book.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,734,991 issued on Apr. 7, 1998 to Marilyn Schmid, and describes a wearing apparel that has a background scene and may include detachable game pieces. The invention is directed to less costly wearing apparel which nonetheless includes specific areas, such as background scenes and other discrete areas to which attachable articles may be attached. Thus, an article of wearing apparel according to the invention includes an attaching portion (which has xe2x80x9cloop or hookxe2x80x9d elements for attachment of objects also having such elements) and a non-attaching portion (which lacks such attachment elements, and lowers the cost of such wearing apparel). One specific background scene is a checkerboard on the exterior flap of a backpack wearing apparel. The checker pieces are stored when not in use on a discrete attachment area on the exterior of the backpack away from the checkerboard. All other background scenes and attachment areas are similarly on the outside of the wearing apparel, and all use the hook and loop attachment means.
Other backpacks are sold on the market that open up to provide a play surface. These include clear plastic backpacks that contain three-dimensional solid figures, such as dolls, and associated objects, such as rugs and furniture. None of these figures or objects attach or stick to the play surface. The play surfaces usually have a pre-made background that cannot be altered, or the background is also three-dimensional. One problem with such backpacks is that when the child is finished playing with the backpack/play surface, the theme or story as it has been developed during the playtime is disturbed when the backpack is closed. The child must then start anew the next time the backpack is opened.
Also, there are bags that contain game boards. One example is a design for a xe2x80x9cTraveler""s Game Board and Bagxe2x80x9d in a crafts book, Readers Digest Home Made Best Made, copyright 2000, page 290-291. A soft checker game board design is shown, and instructions are provided for its fabrication. A soft bag closable by drawstring is also made from the same material. The soft bag is designed to hold the game board and game pieces during travel, and taken out for use when desired. The bag and the game board are completely separate, there is no means provided for changing the nature of the game surface, and there is no means to attach the pieces to the game board during or between uses.
An improvement over the presently known transportable play systems would comprise a suitable bag, including a backpack, that would include an exposable play surface where the play figures and objects would stick to the play surface sufficiently such that when the child has created a desired scene. Such play surface is folded, rolled, or otherwise stowed into the bag without destroying the scene or theme the child had created. This permits the child to continue with the story or theme when he/she reopens the backpack at another time or location. The present invention is directed to such an advance in the art.
All patents, patent applications and publications discussed or cited herein are understood to be incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application was specifically and individually set forth in its entirety.
The present invention relates to a novel combination play system, including a bag or a backpack, which comprises a play surface for children to create themes and stories, or alternatively, to play standard games. In one embodiment, a backpack unfolds into a fabric play surface, and with the backpack are included many attachable pre-cut fabric figures, such as characters (e.g., persons, wild animals, pets, heroes, known play characters) and objects (e.g., ships, buildings, vehicles, plants, hills, mountains, clothing, furniture), as well as backgrounds, for a child to arrange on the fabric play surface. The play surface can be refolded into a backpack for convenient portability without destroying the current theme or story created by the child or adult user. Alternately, where a specific background is employed over the base fabric play surface, such background can be rolled or otherwise folded, and stowed for later use.
In another embodiment a background can be provided that is a standard game board design, such as chess or checkers, or a proprietary game, such as Candyland(copyright). In the latter case the present invention serves as a means to provide a portable version of such game, and a kit could be separately supplied that includes the specific background of such game, game pieces, instructions, and other necessary components such as dice, spinner, etc.
In another embodiment appropriate fabric is provided and children and/or supervising adult caretakers could use such material to make individualized characters of their choosing. Such characters could represent known story characters, the children, their friends, or characters of a story the children are creating.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a bag, such as a backpack, that is simple to operate and can store many play pieces to attach to the fabric play surface.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a bag, such as a backpack, having a foldable fabric play surface that can be altered by a child by similarly composed play pieces to tell a theme or story.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bag, such as a backpack, having a foldable fabric play surface that can be refolded into the bag or backpack while maintaining most or all of the positions of play pieces in the current theme or story.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide several bags and/or backpacks that can be opened and attached together to form a larger fabric play surface to create a theme or story.
It is still another further object of the present invention to provide a bag, or more particularly a backpack, comprising a play surface and additionally comprising a fabric sheet material whereby the child or adult user can cut out their own play pieces to attach to the play surface.
It is still another further object of the present invention to provide a bag, or more particularly a backpack, having a play surface and additionally comprising figures and/or a material sheet that are/is translucent and colored. Such translucent pieces are provided or made that attach to the play surface and/or to opaque figures or objects attached to the play surface. The colored translucent pieces provide a learning tool in that when overlaid over other colors, the child so playing with the pieces learns what colors are made when specific colors are mixed together.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objectives of the present invention. These objectives should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner of modifying the invention as will be described.
It is to be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not to be viewed as being restrictive of the present, as claimed. These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a review of the following detailed description of the disclosed embodiments and the appended claims.